First OSCE training on cybercrime and digital evidence in Turkmenistan

From 9 to 12 May 2023, the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD), in co-operation with the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, organized an introductory training course on cybercrime and digital evidence at the Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkmenistan.

25 representatives of Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, Office of the Prosecutor General and Cybersecurity Service of the “Turkmenaragatnashyk” Agency took part in the course delivered by two OSCE Secretariat staff members and an international expert from Estonia. The participants were introduced to key concepts regarding cybercrime, digital evidence and digital forensics. They also learnt how to identify, seize and secure potential sources of digital evidence at a crime scene and on the internet, and discussed how to ensure compliance with human rights in cybercrime investigations.

On the margins of the course, representatives of the TNTD and the OSCE Centre met with the Rector and Vice-Rector of the Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs as well as with the Head of the Department for Law and International Relations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Discussions focused on the forthcoming national and regional activities on combatting cybercrime in Turkmenistan, as well as further co-operation on police-related matters.

“Digital technologies are developing rapidly and the police need to have adequate knowledge and skills to be able to effectively respond to cyber-related security threats. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is looking forward to continuing the work with the OSCE on this important issue,” said the Head of the Department for Law and International Relations during the meeting.

“Cybercrime poses a growing risk across the OSCE area, including in Turkmenistan”, said Martha Stickings, Deputy Head of TNTD’s Strategic Police Matters Unit’. “It is crucial that criminal justice practitioners have the skills they need to effectively investigate and prosecute these crimes in line with international best practice and human rights standards.”

The training course was delivered under the extra-budgetary project “Capacity Building on Combating Cybercrime in Central Asia”, which is funded by the United States of America, Germany and the Republic of Korea. This was the first national training event in Turkmenistan under the project, and two additional training courses for the same group of participants are scheduled for the autumn of this year.